Dark Queen

xxi.

     The godsdamned idiot! Zora glowered at the whistling Nefari's back as they trekked back to the cave, even as she gratefully chewed on the bread. It was still warm.

Jurauk slipped into the shade of the cave and began peeling off his shirt. He gave her a sheepish smile, and she was annoyed to see that he'd torn a few of his stitches. "Imbecile," she grumbled as she scooted to his side, needle and thread in hand.

Resting one hand on his shoulder to hold herself steady, she slid the needle into his skin. His breathing hitched, but evened out the longer she stitched. "So," he spoke, "how long will we be like this?"

Zora wasn't paying too much attention. "Stay like what?" she asked, bottom lip sticking out in concentration as she effortlessly weaved the needle in and out.

"I don't know if you've realized, but I'm still dying to eat you."

"Sure. I'm the one with a weapon here. Besides, I'm not just helping you out of my good human heart."

"You aren't?" He didn't sound surprised.

She waved a hand. "Of course not. I mean, I don't want you to die out on me, but there are strings attached."

"Eh?"

Shaking her head, she finished her task and sat back on her heels. "Who am I kidding?" she sighed. "I'm just some stupid girl who screwed up life. And there's nothing I can do to stop you from eating me. You could probably slit my throat right now with those talons of yours."

"I could. It wouldn't be too difficult, seeing as humans are so vulnerable. But where's the fun in that?"

Zora sat up straighter and stared at him. "Fun? Is that what this whole thing is to you?"

He snorted. "Not all. It sucks to have a murder attempted on me. But you...you're amusing. I want to see how this plays out."

"If what plays out?"

He smirked, one corner of his lip pulling upward, revealing the tip of one fang. "Aren't you going to ask me to help assassinate your brother?"

Zora was flabbergasted. "H-how did you know?"

"There are strings attached," he mimicked. "It wasn't hard to guess. You implied you loathed him when speaking about your life. Am I wrong?"

"No, you're not." Zora lay on her back, one arm thrown over her forehead. "I'd rip out his heart if I could. But the bastard is safe all the way in the palace. I'll be lucky if I can even breach the wall."

She heard shuffling as the Nefari came over, and with surprising gentleness, lifted her arm away from her face. Zora cracked open her eye and saw him hovering over her, an intense flame burning in his eyes.

"Why don't you and I make a deal?"

"A deal?" she murmured, a little breathless.

     "I kill your brother. In return, you send enough reinforcements to help me take back my kingdom."

"Am I to assume you won't try to take a bite out of me before this happens?"

His chuckle was throaty. "Any deal made with a magical creature is bound with magic." Jurauk pulled down the collar of his shirt, revealing a set of intricate black swirls Zora hadn't noticed before -she'd been too consumed with stitching.

"This is one promise -a contract if you will. There will be a copy somewhere on your skin, should you agree. It's powerful, ancient magic bestowed upon us by the gods. It is all we have left, besides the ravens."

"Ravens?" she questioned. Jurauk hesitated.

"It's nothing. So, will you do it?"

She was still nervous. Would he decide she was simply stupid and gobble her up anyway?

But she was strong-willed. "Yes," she stated firmly.

Jurauk smiled. "Give me your wrist. I need your blood."

Appalled, Zora clutched her hand to her chest. "Are you insane? No way. Eating flesh is bad enough, but my blood?"

He rolled his eyes. "I don't care about your deliciousness; magic needs bloods. Everyone knows that." Jurauk was probably lying about that first part, but he seemed sure with the second.

Slowly, she held out her arm. His scowl softened. "It won't hurt. You can close your eye if you want." Zora nodded, letting her film of flesh obscure the world. Her breath quickened as she felt him shift, lowering his head.

There was a dramatic pause, an almost unbearable silence. Then something warm and soft brushed across her skin, very much like a butterfly's wings. Two little pinpricks, and blood welling. Her eye flew open, and she gasped as her arm flared.

It was like her limb had been submerged in a vat of boiling oil, yet there was no pain. Before her, black swirls began etching themselves onto her flesh. They were spectacular. A mellow blue glow surrounded them. Zora felt her breath catch.

"Whoa," she murmured as the light died. The marks ran from her wrist all the way into her sleeve. When Zora pulled aside the fabric, she saw that the swirls had travelled all the way to her shoulder and just a bit past her collarbone.

Jurauk wiped his mouth, the movement stretching up his shirt, and Zora saw the same pattern gracing the skin at his hip. The black marks arched towards his ribs before disappearing down the waistband of his pants.

"See?" he said smugly. "That wasn't so bad." Jurauk stood up, brushed off his pants, and offered her a hand. "Get up. I have someone to devour."

ahhh so sorry for the long wait guys! I hope you enjoyed this chapter cx

i honestly have no idea where i'm going with this story XD so sorry if it's a mess!

Discussion Questions: What's so special about this promise mark thingy? How do you think the next few chapters will play out?